With Aaron Judge’s return still up in the air, the Yankees’ deadline shopping list keeps getting longer. Brian Cashman already had obvious work to do, and Judge’s murky timeline only sharpens the pressure on New York to add another bat.
The bullpen has been a talking point since before the season began. Statistically, the Yankees have gotten more out of that group than many expected, but there’s still plenty of unease when Tim Hill or Camilo Doval is asked to handle a big spot.
Catcher has also become a problem. Austin Wells has put together one of the worst seasons by an everyday player, which has pushed the Yankees toward Ryan Jeffers as a possible fix.
Now the injury to Giancarlo Stanton adds another wrinkle. If Judge is out for a while and Stanton is sidelined again, the Yankees may need help in the outfield and at designated hitter, too. That opens the door to a bat hunt, and two clubs stand out as possible trade partners: the San Diego Padres and the Texas Rangers.
One name on the Rangers’ side is Joc Pederson. He’s been in a similar kind of spot before, when he was with the Atlanta Braves in 2021 and Ronald Acuna Jr. was set to miss the whole year. Judge’s situation isn’t exactly the same, but Pederson could still help cover some of the missing power in New York.
Pederson is having a rebound season, hitting .235/.334/.462 with a 122 wRC+. Last year, he posted a 76 wRC+.
The glove is not the selling point here - the bat is. He has 15 home runs, along with an average exit velocity of 91.9 MPH, an 11.2% barrel rate, and a 48.9% hard-hit rate.
He also works deep counts. Pederson has a 12.2% walk rate and sees four pitches per plate appearance, even if the whiffs come with it.
If the Yankees turn to San Diego, Miguel Andujar is another possibility. The former top prospect is now 31 and has bounced around, but he’s still putting together a useful year at the plate. He’s hitting .268/.307/.437 with a 105 wRC+.
Andujar’s game is more about contact than power. He has a 15.6% strikeout rate, and his .266 expected batting average sits in the 72nd percentile in MLB. That kind of profile could make him a useful bench piece once healthier bodies start coming back, especially with the playoffs in mind.
But the Yankees can’t afford to think only about October. They still have a regular season to manage, and the American League East remains in play. The Rays have been strong, but they’re not invincible, as their rough start to the weekend showed when they were trounced in a doubleheader at Fenway Park.
New York is already one of the better teams in the American League. This deadline gives them a chance to separate themselves from the pack.
In Other News...
Yankees May Have Found A Real Catcher Answer Before Deadline Panic
The Yankees have spent enough of this season looking for answers behind the plate that the position has become part of the deadline conversation. Austin Wells has not given the club the production it expected, and general manager Brian Cashman has already acknowledged the issue while the front office sorts through possible trade options before the August 3 deadline. It is the kind of problem that can linger all summer if a team does not find a real fix, especially when the catching group is dragging in a way the Yankees can no longer ignore.
One name that has come up in the chatter is Arizona catcher Gabriel Moreno, a player who would give New York a very different kind of profile at the position if the Yankees decided to push harder. Moreno has been productive for the Diamondbacks this season and, just as importantly for any trade market, comes with years of club control beyond this one. For now, there is no official deal on the table, but the fact that the Yankees are being linked to a catcher of that caliber tells you how seriously they are treating the position as deadline pressure builds. [Read more 🡒]
This Under The Radar Bat Could Fix More Than One Yankees Problem
The Yankees still have a lot of boxes to check before the trade deadline, with clear needs at catcher, in the bullpen and in the rotation, plus some secondary asks that could shape the rest of the roster. One name that keeps surfacing as a fit is Spencer Steer, the Reds versatile bat who can move around the diamond and gives a lineup some right-handed balance while also helping cover more than one hole at once.
Steers appeal goes beyond just being a useful extra piece. He has handled multiple positions, has done damage against left-handed pitching and, with Cincinnatis playoff chances fading, he looks like the kind of player who could become available at the right time. The contract side matters too, since he is affordable now and controlled for several more seasons, which is exactly the sort of flexibility a contender like New York tends to value when it starts shopping for answers. [Read more 🡒]